Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot

So, I went to a wedding over the weekend, and saw some friends that I have not seen in years. Sis was asking me who some of the people in the wedding were, so I told her that I used to be good friends with them. She very innocently asked, "What happened that you're not friends anymore?" Hmmmm. What DOES happen? Life? I explained to her (or tried to) that while I still consider them friends, we just moved in different directions and lost touch. Sounds like an excuse, doesn't it?

It was great, however, catching up with these old friends. I exchanged contact information with a few of them, and I do think that we'll keep in better touch. Others I probably won't talk to again until another moment that randomly brings us together again. I think that's probably okay, too. I will always have my memories of our friendship, and how it shaped my life. You know those chain emails that go around talking about friendship? The one especially that talks about friends in different seasons of your life? There are ones to cry with you... ones to laugh with you... ones that cheer you up... ones that you can call in the middle of the night, etc??? That's comforting to me.

So, after spending some time with my more "recent" friends at the reception, we headed to my Dad's non-retirement party. He has left his long-term employment (retiring) to move to more full-time ministry (my sister wrote VERY eloquently about him here). At the party, my parents had a LOT of family there to celebrate my dad. I must be in a nostalgic mood, because as I was sitting there, I was thinking about how the different family members there have affected my life as well. Although a lot of them I only see every few months now, I have some GREAT memories of fun times we've had together. My aunt and uncle were there... they let me come to their house practically EVERY weekend when I was a teenager! My other aunt was there that taught me how to apply makeup, use self-tanner, and walked me to my very first college class (literally all the way there... I was so nervous!!!). My uncle was there who used to see me walking to school in first grade (I lived so close I could hear the bell ring from my house), but would occasionally pick me up in his car and drive me the rest of the way. I love these memories!

So, on another note... if you want to NOT mumble next New Year, here are the lyrics of Auld Lang Syne (the English translation, not the Scottish version):

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.